http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32868 2026-06-27T04:31:19Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33505 Title: Post-war trauma and doubling in 1940-50s British cinema Authors: Bell, Daniel Allan Abstract: This thesis explores doubling motifs in British films in the 1940s/1950s, focusing on case studies that conform to realist traditions. British realist films are often analysed on a purely literal level whereas this study is aimed at exploring ways to re-examine these texts using different approaches. The study covers example films from 1943-1955 and situates the examples in various historical contexts to examine wider themes such as class, gender, propaganda and tensions in Europe. The thesis makes a connection between the manifestation of a subtle doubling motif in British films and links to real-world societal events in post-war Britain. Description: This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33503 Title: Negotiating compounded stigmatised identities: An examination of contemporary trans-disability Authors: Mitchell, Cavyn R Abstract: In this dissertation I examine trans-disabled individuals’ lives and communities to argue that trans-disabled individuals have a shared sense of stigma which is compounded by having dual marginalised identities. This qualitative research deploys theories of intersectionality and of stigma, bringing these together to further explore how trans-disabled individuals strategically navigate ableist and transphobic spaces within wider society. The theoretical perspective I use within this dissertation is “symbolic interactionism,” combining Erving Goffman’s theories of stigma and strategic interactionism with intersectionality. My research methods include twelve semi-structured interviews with trans-disabled individuals, and autoethnography. The spatio-temporal context of this dissertation is queer and disabled spaces in the UK that are both physical and virtual, and the period in question is 2019-2020 (before the COVID-19 pandemic). I analyse data using thematic analysis. I explore a number of themes that I identify within the data including intersectional fear; in/visibility (including coming out); identities (including feeling “othered”); and lack of support. Through this work, I aim to highlight and explore the specific kinds of stigma felt by trans-disabled individuals, both within and outside of their own communities, and the resilience that shines through in the face of these stigmatised experiences. Using humour, resilience, the evasion and embracing of stigma, and the strategic negotiation of complex identities, trans-disabled individuals continue to push through societal boundaries. This research shows how trans-disabled individuals strategically navigate a society from which they experience dual marginalisation. This project’s original contributions to knowledge are twofold. I demonstrate that an intersectional framework is applicable to an analysis of the difficulties of accessing health care or necessary support whilst being trans-disabled, which is a key and original finding. Secondly, my use of a trans feminist framework when analysing the intersection between transgender identity and disability is unique. Description: This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33471 Title: Exploring the use and implications of comedy and humour in science and public science communication in Ghana Authors: Osei, Jennifer Anima Abstract: This study explores the use of comedy and humour as tools for science communication in Ghana, where public understanding of and engagement with science remains limited. While science communication bridges the gap between experts and lay audiences, traditional dissemination methods often fail to resonate with diverse communities. Globally, humour has gained traction in science communication, yet its effectiveness in Ghana’s unique cultural context remains underexplored. This research examines how humour can enhance public understanding of science, focusing on audience preferences, the willingness of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) advocates to adopt humour-based approaches, and the overall reception of comedic science performances. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and participant observation, the study evaluated the effectiveness of stand-up comedy and other humorous formats in simplifying complex scientific concepts and fostering public engagement. Key findings reveal that participants reported improved message recall, heightened engagement, and reduced feelings of intimidation when scientific content was delivered through humour-based approaches. Audiences responded most positively to formats rooted in local cultural expressions, such as satire, storytelling, and dramatized performances. The research also found that integrating humour helped connect the linguistic and educational divides, making science more accessible to marginalised communities. However, challenges such as balancing entertainment with scientific accuracy and limited institutional support were noted. These findings offer cultural and societal insights into the role of comedy in science communication in Ghana and provide practical strategies for engaging diverse audiences. Ultimately, the study contributes to global discussions on innovative science communication by demonstrating that humour can translate scientific knowledge effectively while fostering trust and a deeper connection between scientists and the public. Description: This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/33401 Title: Everybody is somebody: Personhood in the context of disabled children with complex needs Authors: Hüffmann, Maren Abstract: This study explores fundamental philosophical questions about the nature of human completeness through its focus on people who challenge conventional definitions of Western personhood: children with learning disability, complex physical and sensory impairment, and additional health needs, which cause them to be dependent on others for their most basic needs. It does so through prolonged ethnographic research, which draws upon interdisciplinary sensory and phenomenological approaches, with children, their parents, and their other carers in a special school in England. By capturing the children’s lived experiences in ways that are often absent from the literature—which tends to portray disabled children with complex needs as passive recipients of care—the study offers a unique perspective on my participants’ subjectivities, examining how interactions between the children, and between children and adults, assist in constituting them as persons in their own right. I explored the children’s lives from different angles and beyond the boundaries of the school where I interacted with them directly. Like other human beings they do not live in isolation, if marginalised. Their lives are enmeshed with those of others as well as situated in society’s normative structures. Within the protective environment of school, they find a space to assert themselves in their own unique ways. In addition, their very existence acts as a disruptor of commonly known ways of thinking and being. They challenge the value of categories, not only those applied to them, but more generally the normative viewpoints that guide everyday life in the UK. Viewed both through phenomenological and Foucauldian lenses, their lives highlight dimensions of lived experiences, which appear subdued in lives of verbal, rationally thinking humans, or are not considered as valid for inclusion in reflections on personhood. These children’s ways of being draws attention to the sensory layers of human existence and its enmeshment with the wider environment. Within this context the notion of a person can be more clearly conceived to be a doing, rather than a being. Personhood, here, is perceived as an activity linked to the embodied intentional reaching out into the world. Highlighting this also emphasises the extent of their marginalisation and barriers to inclusion in UK society. Description: This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z